EMP-resistant satellite communications system and method

ABSTRACT

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) resistant telecommunications system includes core components mounted within and shielded by a Faraday cage. The components include a data source or storage device. An ethernet switch selectively connects the data source or storage device to a primary satellite router and a post-EMP satellite router. Telecommunications signals are output from and input to the core components via low noise blocks (LNBs) and block upconverters (BUCs). A method of resisting EMP interference for a telecommunications system includes the steps of enclosing and shielding core components in a Faraday cage and providing output via LNBs and BUCs to an antenna subsystem. The antenna subsystem can include one or more antenna elements with configurations chosen from the group comprising: parabolic dish; array; unidirectional; and omnidirectional.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority inU.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 16/704,651, filed Dec. 5,2019, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/775,456, filed Jan. 5, 2018, which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to shielding communications fromthe effects of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), and in particular to asystem and method utilizing a Faraday cage for very small apertureterminal (VSAT), C-band small aperture terminal (CSAT) applications andphased array antennas.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) can occur naturally with solar flares,lightning and other natural phenomena. They can be artificially inducedwith electrical devices producing radio frequency (RF) signals. EMPs canbe used for deliberately jamming RF signals, and thereby disruptingcommunications. For example, transmitting high-power RF signals ontarget carrier frequencies can interfere with data transmissions onthose frequencies. Such techniques can be used against adversaries forexploiting vulnerabilities in their communication infrastructures.Effectively shielding telecommunication systems from EMP threats cansignificantly reduce such vulnerabilities.

The EMP Commission, appointed by the U.S. government, reported toCongress that satellite communications networks could be vulnerable toEMP attack. Based on the pervasiveness of satellite communicationsthroughout commerce, defense, education, entertainment and otherapplications, such attacks could have devastating economic, nationalsecurity and public safety consequences. For example, credit and debitcard transactions are commonly process using satellite transmissions.Telephone communications also rely heavily on satellite transmissions.The worldwide network (Internet) could also be vulnerable to EMPattacks.

Heretofore there has not been available a system and method forproviding resistance to EMP interference with the advantages andfeatures of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic, block diagram of an EMP-resistant satellitecommunication system embodying an aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Introduction andEnvironment

As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects aremerely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart how to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description forconvenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up,down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientatedin the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly”refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometriccenter of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof.Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction oftravel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the wordsspecifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similarmeaning.

II. EMP-Resistant Telecommunications System 2 and Method

Referring to the drawing in more detail, FIG. 1 shows an EMP-resistantsatellite communications system 2 including a Faraday cage 4 enclosingand shielding a core component subsystem 6. The Faraday cage 4 isscalable and can comprise an entire building, a room or an equipmentenclosure. The subsystem 6 includes a data source or storage component 8configured for receiving input from and providing output to othercomponents via an ethernet switch 10.

An AC power source 52 is connected to the core component subsystem 6 viaa power backup relay 54, which is normally closed. A backup generator 56is connected to the power backup relay 54. An auto-boot appliance 58provides AC power to the post-EMP satellite router 14 and the ethernetswitch 10. AC power is also provided to the primary satellite router 12.The system 2 can also include equipment 60 which is normally off and notpowered.

The ethernet switch 10 provides output to and receives input from aprimary satellite router 12 and a post-EMP satellite router 14.Alternatively, the system 2 can accommodate receive-only satellitecommunication installations. The primary satellite router 12 isconnected to a primary low noise block (LNB) converter 16, which in turnis connected to a close-coupled waveguide splitter 18 providing anantenna receive feed 20.

The primary satellite router 12 is also connected to a primary blockupconverter (BUC) 22, which in turn is connected to a close-coupledwaveguide combiner 24 providing an antenna transmit feed 26.

The output of the post-EMP satellite router 14 is input to a BUC 28,which is connected to the close-coupled waveguide combiner 24 providingthe antenna transmit feed 26. The post EMP satellite router 14 is alsoconnected to a post EMP LNB converter 30, which in turn is connected tothe close-coupled waveguide splitter 18 providing the antenna receivefeed 20.

A dual antennae subsystem 32 (e.g., receive and transmit or phasedarray) can be connected to the LNBs 16, 30 and the BUCs 22, 28 at theantenna feeding the two port microwave splitters and combiners 18, 24.In the phased array configuration, all LNB and BUC functions arecontained within the phased array antenna. As such, the completecombination of elements will be installed and unpowered but connected tothe other components of the system as detailed. A Faraday cage can beplaced around other components of the system 2, e.g., equipmentconnected to the antennae(s) and the backup generator or alternator 56.

Alternatively, the antennae subsystem 32 can include antenna elementswith various configurations, such as uni-directional dish andomni-directional (broadcast) antennae. Moreover, the antennae subsystemand the antenna elements thereof can be mounted on bases witharticulated, variable-orientation mechanisms configured for optimizingtransmission and reception.

The system 2 utilizes the Faraday cage 4 to protect all componentsnormally within a room or building for processing data together with thegenerator/alternator 56 as a backup to commercial line power. TheFaraday cage is scalable and could include an entire building, room orequipment enclosure. The Faraday cage 4 for antenna-mounted electronicsis grounded to the satellite antenna but preferably isolated from theantenna, e.g., with fiber gaskets or other insulating elements. Nylon orTeflon bolts and nuts can connect the isolated components to the antennafeeds or waveguide while a copper ground strap can connect the meshFaraday cage 4 to the antennae. The mesh Faraday cage 4 can be containedwithin a standard fiberglass feed cover or within hub-mountedelectronics. In either case, the result is a fully functional feedsystem of electronics (core component subsystem 6) within the groundedFaraday cage 4.

Inter-facility (IFL) cables between the antennae and the insideelectronics/core components can be interconnected with either: doubleshielded wiring with the outside shield grounded at both ends; or withfiber optic cable with the optic transceivers located within the feedFaraday cage 4. In the event of the use of double shielded IFL cables,power to the feed is supplied through the coaxial cable. Fiber optic IFLcables can utilize localized shielded batteries or shielded, dedicatedgenerators.

Transmit and receive package equipment 60, including electronics andantenna mounted equipment, can be non-powered (OFF). At such time thatan EMP event renders commercial power inoperative or in the event of alocal power outage, the backup power energizes and the internal powerrelay switches power output to the backup redundant electronics. Whenthe commercial power is restored, power will resume to the primaryequipment package. This latter feature is primarily intended to restoresignals in the event of a non-EMP event or condition. Following an EMPevent, all components should be checked to determine which componentshave failed in order to be replaced for future EMPs.

By way of non-limiting example, the Hybrid Dual-Band SatelliteCommunication System disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,648,568, which isassigned to a common assignee herewith and is incorporated herein byreference, could be EMP-protected with technology disclosed in thepresent application, e.g., Faraday cages,

III. Conclusion

It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects ofthe invention have been shown and described, the invention is notlimited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:
 1. An electromagnetic pulse (EMP)resistant telecommunications system, which comprises: a core componentsubsystem including a data source with a data storage component; aprimary satellite router; a post-EMP satellite router; an ethernetswitch configured for directing signals from said data source to one ofsaid primary and post-EMP satellite routers; a Faraday cage enclosingsaid core component subsystem and configured for resisting EMPinterference; an antenna subsystem connected to said satellite routers;said antenna subsystem including an antenna receive feed and an antennatransmit feed; said satellite routers connected to said antenna feeds;and said antennae subsystem including one or more antenna elements withconfigurations chosen from the group comprising: parabolic dish; array;unidirectional; and omnidirectional.
 2. The telecommunications systemaccording to claim 1, which includes: an antenna variable-orientationmechanism configured for optimizing signal transmission and reception bydirectionally orienting one or more of said antenna elements.
 3. Thetelecommunications system according to claim 1, which includes: a backupgenerator selectively connected to said core component subsystem.
 4. Thetelecommunications system according to claim 1, which includes: aprimary low noise block (LNB) connected to said primary satellite routerand said antenna subsystem; a post-EMP LNB connected to said primarysatellite router and said antenna subsystem; and a close coupledwaveguide splitter connected to said LNBs and said antenna receive feed.5. The telecommunications system according to claim 1, which includes: aprimary block upconverter (BUC) connected to said primary satelliterouter and said antenna subsystem; and a post-EMP BUC connected to saidpost-EMP satellite router and said antenna subsystem.
 6. Thetelecommunications system according to claim 1, which includes: saidcore component subsystem including a power backup relay selectivelyconnected to said satellite routers.
 7. The telecommunications systemaccording to claim 5, which includes: said backup generator connected tosaid power backup relay and configured for providing AC power to saidtelecommunications system in the event of a power outage.
 8. Anelectromagnetic pulse (EMP) resistant telecommunications system, whichcomprises: a core component subsystem including a data source with adata storage component; a primary satellite router; a post-EMP satelliterouter; an ethernet switch configured for directing signals from saiddata source to one of said primary and post-EMP satellite routers; aFaraday cage enclosing said core component subsystem and configured forresisting EMP interference; a backup generator selectively connected tosaid core component subsystem; an antenna subsystem connected to saidsatellite routers; said antenna subsystem including one or more antennaelements with configurations chosen from the group comprising: parabolicdish; array; unidirectional; and omnidirectional; said antenna subsystemincluding an antenna receive feed and an antenna transmit feed; saidsatellite routers connected to said antenna feeds; a primary low noiseblock (LNB) connected to said primary satellite router and said antennasubsystem; a post-EMP LNB connected to said primary satellite router andsaid antenna subsystem; a primary block upconverter (BUC) connected tosaid primary satellite router and said antenna subsystem; and a post-EMPBUC connected to said post-EMP satellite router and said antennasubsystem.
 9. The telecommunications system according to claim 7, whichincludes: a close coupled waveguide combiner connected to said BUCs andsaid antenna transmit feed.
 10. The telecommunications system accordingto claim 7, which includes: said core component subsystem including apower backup relay selectively connected to said satellite routers. 11.The telecommunications system according to claim 7, which includes: abackup generator connected to said power backup relay and configured forproviding AC power to said telecommunications system in the event of apower outage.